Just like the words to a Willie song (with slight modifications of course)
"There's just a little old fashioned gathering coming down
Just a little old fashioned barn raising going 'round
A little bit of sweating and a little bit of reaping
A little bit of laughing and a little bit of weeping
Just a little old fashioned barn raising going down"
Wikipedia states a barn raising as" a collective action of a community, in which a barn for one of the members is built or rebuilt collectively by members of the community. Barn raising was particularly common in 18th- and 19th-century rural North America."
Apparently Wikipedia is not familiar with Plan473 and all of its family and friends. Since before my time, this is has been how houses, barns, garages, sheds, hunting cabins, etc... have been built. They are affairs filled with lots and lots and lots of family and friends and children of said family and friends. They are affairs where blood, sweat, and tears will be shed while tales both tall and not will be retold yet again for the umpth time, and ample amounts of food and drinks will start and end the day. They are affairs were workers are glad to help and IOUs are not tallied up because every one of the workers present has been the recipient of a barn raising affair in their own right. Plan473 is by no means an exception to this rule. So with that, Plan 473 traveled for a barn raising event.
The only thing different yet better about modern barn raising events is the usage of modern tools and equipment. With years of family and friends comes the collection of a variety of tools. And tools as we all know, make the job so much better. Not always easier as some jobs are just difficult in nature such as welding backwards and upside down. Standing on a rickety ladder is for chumps. Baskets on tractors with umbrellas for shade in the South Texas summer heat.
Or baskets on skid steers for the higher to reach peak beams. To add to the list there are also precut frames, welders instead of hammers and nails, and lots of ice cold beverages. With ample family and friends and their supply of useful tools the barn frame structure was assembled and installed in less than a day. Now the roof (being done professionally).
Plan473 has received more than its fair share of help from family and friends during its time. It is only because of generous family and friend support that the majority of what has been accomplished has been made possible. To date there have been tractors, tractor implements, mowers, welders, too many hand tools to name, trailers, and countless man hours. Being able to help another family friend accomplish one of his goal completes the circle. And like circles, what goes around comes around.
One final note. If you are not familiar with Willie as in Willie Nelson, then you need to. He is Texas and A Little Old Fashion Karma is legendary.